Since all the western countries have been heavily influenced by American popular culture, like movies and television shows, we all have some stereotypes about America and it’s people. I went to explore Pennsylvania and the New York area for a few weeks as a tourist with a local guide with me. They say traveling expands your understanding of things, and how true I found it to be this time! I wouldn’t say that I know much after such a short visit, but I found it surprising that some of my stereotypes were challenged, and equally surprising that some of them seemed true.
1. Everything is huge
America is the greatest country in the world, which is seen in everything from food and houses to people. This is one stereotype that felt true to me. One day I was a bit hungry and thought of getting a small burrito. Instead, I ended up having a burrito the size of my head, which could have fed a household of four. This happened several times with different foods, so I got used to it as a norm. Compared to Finland, houses are also much bigger in the suburbs and it seems like people love their own space. And lastly, unfortunately a lot more people were overweight than in Finland, which is understandable considering the huge food portions and because…
2. …American food is unhealthy
I thought it was just a myth that everything is unhealthy. Wrong. Our breakfasts at two different hotels were full of sugar, salt and meat. No veg in sight, except for a banana sadly sitting in a corner trying desperately to upgrade the healthiness of the meal. Whenever I went to a restaurant, I found out that there were no vegetarian options. Of course, people can decide what to eat and buy healthier options from the store, but the difference in food options in Finnish and American restaurants were striking. We truly are ahead in terms of healthiness and vegetarian food here.
3. People are extroverts
Another stereotype of Americans is that everyone is an extrovert. People want to talk with anyone and everyone, they are always quick-witted and want nothing more than to be in the spotlight. To my surprise, I found people not being that extroverted. The difference between our introverted Finnish culture and theirs was seen in small talk and the ability of Americans to open their mouths more often if needed. I had this silly image of Americans forming this superior extrovert nation, but after all, I didn’t see that much of a difference between them and the people in European countries that I’ve visited.
4. Extremely capitalist culture
In America everything is about money, right? This I found to be somewhat true. Compared to Finnish culture, it felt absurd. Driving a car was extremely expensive. A drive to another city cost us plenty of road tolls. Entering New York city with a car cost 20$. People expect tips at the parking lot if they move your car a few inches. Every road side advertisement is filled with insurance lawyer ads for people who’ve gotten hurt and wish to make money out of it. Of course, this is just one side of the story, but it felt like a tough world to live in.
5. New York is a fancy city with all the glamour in it
Maybe it could also be this, but to me personally, it was quite a shock how New York felt like. Television gives us this glamorous image of the Big Apple. People were more likely to be dressed up in hoodies and sweatpants than fancy dresses and heels. I was surprised at how overdressed I felt like with clothing suited for the streets of Helsinki, even in Manhattan. The subway was old, noisy and dirty. I’ve also visited Beijing, which I would have expected to be the one with dirt, poorly dressed people and a lot of noise. It turns out that Beijing is actually the fancy one, with girls wearing heels and beautiful dresses, while New York is from another world. Although, I guess New York’s charm comes from many of these ramshackle things.